In the human body, the positive effects of phenolic compounds are increasingly observed through their presence in tissues and organs in their native form or in the form of metabolites or catabolites formed during digestion, microbial metabolism, and host biotransformation. The full extent of these effects is still unclear. The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge of beneficial effects of native phenolic compounds or their metabolites and catabolites focusing on their role in the health of the digestive system, including disorders of the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts and liver. Studies are mostly connecting beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal and urinary tract to the whole food rich in phenolics, or to the amount of phenolic compounds/antioxidants in food. Indeed, the bioactivity of parent phenolic compounds should not be ignored due to their presence in the digestive tract, and the impact on the gut microbiota. However, the influence of their metabolites and catabolites might be more important for the liver and urinary tract. Distinguishing between the effects of parent phenolics vs metabolites and catabolites at the site of action are important for novel areas of food industry, nutrition and medicine.
Keywords: Bioactivities; catabolites; gastrointestinal tract; metabolites; polyphenols; urinary system.